]]>Live Injection – a day of the finest in rocksteady, early reggae and a bit of soul. The usual suspects Allan Finnie, Tim P and Andy Hynd on the decks joined by guests Paul Landers and Spider John.

]]>http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2018/live-injection-3rd-november/feed/0Cool Breeze Fri 19th Octoberhttp://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2018/cool-breeze-fri-19th-october/
http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2018/cool-breeze-fri-19th-october/#respondSun, 07 Oct 2018 17:57:55 +0000http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/?p=16153I haven’t played out for a while but I’ll be joining my good friends Paskal Roughandtough and Chucky Downbeat behind the decks at the George Tavern 373 Commercial Road, London, E1 0LA on Friday 19th October. Come and say hello if you can.

]]>I haven’t played out for a while but I’ll be joining my good friends Paskal Roughandtough and Chucky Downbeat behind the decks at the George Tavern 373 Commercial Road, London, E1 0LA on Friday 19th October. Come and say hello if you can.

]]>http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2018/cool-breeze-fri-19th-october/feed/0Hot Shots and Dubhttp://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/hot-shots-and-dub/
http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/hot-shots-and-dub/#respondWed, 25 Oct 2017 22:55:00 +0000http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/?p=16130Doctor Bird continue to build an impressive catalogue of vintage Jamaican music, they have two new CD’s out on November 10th.

Various Artists – Hot Shots Of Reggae

A quality selection of Lesley Kong productions first released in 1970 on Trojan in the UK and on Kong’s own Beverley’s imprint (as Original Reggae Hot Shots) in Jamaica. This edition collects the original 12 tracks and adds another 13 Lesley Kong productions from the same era. ... continue reading...

]]>Doctor Bird continue to build an impressive catalogue of vintage Jamaican music, they have two new CD’s out on November 10th.

Various Artists – Hot Shots Of Reggae

A quality selection of Lesley Kong productions first released in 1970 on Trojan in the UK and on Kong’s own Beverley’s imprint (as Original Reggae Hot Shots) in Jamaica. This edition collects the original 12 tracks and adds another 13 Lesley Kong productions from the same era. There are plenty of gems here, massive hits from the Maytals (Monkey Man) and the Melodians (Sweet Sensation) alongside stone cold classics from the Gaylads (This Time I Won’t Hurt You), Delroy Wilson (Show Me The Way) and Bruce Ruffin (Dry Up Your Tears). If there is a weakness it’s the instrumentals, the rhythms may be classics but these always sound like they were going through the motions and don’t have that edge that many other producers of the era managed to bring.

This comes with a 12 page booklet with illustrations of both the UK and Jamaican album sleeves, plenty of label pictures etc. and sleeve notes from Lawrence Cane-Honeysett.

Two dub LP’s collected together on one CD, original released circa 1977/1978. These are Sonia Pottinger productions recorded at Treasure Isle studio with the Revolutionaries band and mixed by Errol Brown.

Dub Expression is definitely the stronger of the two sets so it’s a little surprising this is the second one on the collection. That said, it’s also been reissued individually on vinyl/CD by Dub Store of Japan recently so they’ve somewhat stolen the march on Doctor Bird. Weather Doctor Bird know this is another matter as they continue to claim “All tracks unavailable in any format since the 1970’s”. Oh well.

Controversies aside Dub Expression is a stormer so buy it without hesitation.

]]>http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/hot-shots-and-dub/feed/0Mods Buy Skahttp://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/mods-buy-ska/
http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/mods-buy-ska/#commentsFri, 20 Oct 2017 23:18:44 +0000http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/?p=16107Copasetic! The Mod Ska Sound These themed compilations feel like they are scrapping the bottom of the barrel sometimes but Trojan obviously know their business better than I do and as they have been packaging new “Mod” releases every few years since the very early 2000’s, someone is definitely buying them.

Copasetic! is a nicely packaged double CD set with no less than 56 ska and rocksteady classics. This is mostly familiar stuff but it’s ... continue reading...

]]>Copasetic! The Mod Ska Sound
These themed compilations feel like they are scrapping the bottom of the barrel sometimes but Trojan obviously know their business better than I do and as they have been packaging new “Mod” releases every few years since the very early 2000’s, someone is definitely buying them.

Copasetic! is a nicely packaged double CD set with no less than 56 ska and rocksteady classics. This is mostly familiar stuff but it’s all top quality, as is the 16 page booklet with sleeve notes by Mike Atherton and plenty of great photo’s and label illustrations. Retailing at between £7 and £8 it’s a bit of a steal too so there really is no reason to complain.

]]>http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/mods-buy-ska/feed/1A Box Of Treasurehttp://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/a-box-of-treasure/
http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/a-box-of-treasure/#respondSun, 01 Oct 2017 19:18:17 +0000http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/?p=16090Treasure Isle Ska Rarities: The 7″ Vinyl Box Set They like a good box set down at Trojan Records and whilst not cheap (it’s currently advertised at £43.50 on the Pledge Music site) this one is good enough and will be well worth a look when it is issued at the end of this month.

]]>Treasure Isle Ska Rarities: The 7″ Vinyl Box Set
They like a good box set down at Trojan Records and whilst not cheap (it’s currently advertised at £43.50 on the Pledge Music site) this one is good enough and will be well worth a look when it is issued at the end of this month.

Ten 7″ vinyl singles with reproduction Treasure Isle or Dutchess labels and card Treasure Isle sleeves housed in an attractive looking box with a fold out insert with sleeve notes by Brian Keyo.

Most tunes here are advertised as alternate cuts and whilst some are very similar to their better known versions a few are noticeably different. There are also a handful of previously unreleased recordings such as What A Bailing (AKA Ninety One) by the Duke Reid Group and The Army Is Searching by one Basil Caral & Group. These unreleased tracks are vocals and are easily of the same standard as the vast majority of ska vocals from the period – so no mutton dressed as lamb, these really do deserve their belated issue.

Nothing here is completely mind blowing but that said it’s all good stuff and there are definitely no clunkers either. This is a quality release that gives the music the respect it deserves and I for one could listen to different takes of Renegade by the Zodiacs or True Confession by the Silvertones all day long – so what’s not to like? Treasure Isle Ska Rarities: The 7″ Vinyl Box Set is set for full release on 27 October 2017.

]]>http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/a-box-of-treasure/feed/0All Aboard The Psychedelic Trainhttp://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/all-aboard-the-psychedelic-train/
http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/all-aboard-the-psychedelic-train/#respondFri, 22 Sep 2017 20:32:31 +0000http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/?p=16062Doctor Bird Records (a division of Cherry Red) continue their skillful plundering of the Trojan archives with a couple of new CD’s out on October 13th. As usual they’ve selected a couple of classic LP’s and have put them together with a selection of bonus tracks, we get Various Artists – Gay Feet – Every Night and Derrick Harriot & the Crystalites – Psychedelic Train.

]]>Doctor Bird Records (a division of Cherry Red) continue their skillful plundering of the Trojan archives with a couple of new CD’s out on October 13th. As usual they’ve selected a couple of classic LP’s and have put them together with a selection of bonus tracks, we get Various Artists – Gay Feet – Every Night and Derrick Harriot & the Crystalites – Psychedelic Train.

Psychedelic Train is the pick of the two here and always was a first class release. The original 12 tracks along with 13 bonus ones make this even more enjoyable and a strong contender for reissue of the year. Derrick Harriott had that rare talent of being a capable producer and a top notch vocalist and this is demonstrated time after time here with superb interpretations of soul classics and equally soulful original compositions. We jump around in time periods between 1967 and 1971 but whilst the differences between rocksteady classics like The Loser and more funky early 70’s reggae cuts like Groovy Situation and Slave are obvious Harriot’s voice brings these together in a way that seems logical and completely natural. I love it.

Tracklist
1. Psychedelic Train, Part One
2. No Man Is An Island
3. Laugh It Off
4. Message from the Black Man
5. Hum My Song
6. Riding for a Fall
7. Slave
8. Go Bye Bye
9. The Loser
10. Born To Love You
11. Walk The Streets
12. Standing in
13. Groovy Situation
14. Been So Long / You Lied to Your Daddy
15. It’s Alright (You’re Just in Love)
16. Solomon
17. You’ve Really Got a Hold On Me
18. Sitting On Top
19. The Girl’s Alright With Me
20. Do I Worry
21. I’m Not Begging
22. Have Some Mercy
23. Tang! Tang! Festival Song
24. Long Time
25. Psychedelic Train, Chapter 3

The Gay Feet Every Night LP was issued in the UK on the original Doctor Bird label circa 1965 (and on Gay Feet in Jamaica) and was the first compilation of releases by the first lady of Jamaican producers, the great Sonia Pottinger.

It’s never been reissued as far as I know so whilst this is a bit of a mixed bag it deserves the Doctor Bird reissue treatment and there is enough here to interest most fans of sixties Jamaican sounds. The original 12 tracks and 12 extras includes more than a few killers including Faberge and Musical Sermon by Baba Brooks and Heartaches by the Techniques.

Both releases come with booklets with sleeve notes by Laurence Cane-Honeysett and Mike Atherton respectively. The booklets have plenty of great illustrations including lots of original label images and the original front and back sleeve illustrations.

]]>http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/all-aboard-the-psychedelic-train/feed/0Sufferer/Dancing Down Orange Street CD Releaseshttp://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/suffererdancing-down-orange-street-cd-releases/
http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/suffererdancing-down-orange-street-cd-releases/#respondMon, 04 Sep 2017 07:51:24 +0000http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/?p=15874Another two fine CD reissues from Doctor Bird, part of the Cherry Red group. Due out on the 8 September 2017:

The Kingstonians – Sufferer The classic LP complete as first released in 1970 together with 12 additional cuts on one CD. These are either recordings by the Kingstonians or instrumental versions of tracks from their LP by the Crystalites.

This is packaged with the original sleeve, front and back on the booklet. There ... continue reading...

]]>Another two fine CD reissues from Doctor Bird, part of the Cherry Red group. Due out on the 8 September 2017:

The Kingstonians – Sufferer
The classic LP complete as first released in 1970 together with 12 additional cuts on one CD. These are either recordings by the Kingstonians or instrumental versions of tracks from their LP by the Crystalites.

This is packaged with the original sleeve, front and back on the booklet. There are sleeve notes by Laurence Cane-Honeysett, illustrated with a great selection of original label and sleeve pictures.

Various Artists – Dancing Down Orange Street
First issued in 1969 on Trojan’s High Note subsidiary Dancing Down Orange Street collected Sonia Pottinger productions most of which had been released on the Doctor Bird and High Note labels in the UK.

It is released here with 13 additional tracks, again all Sonia Pottinger productions and all originally released on High Note 7″s in the UK. This is well packaged with sleeve notes by Andy Lambourn and Marc Griffiths in a booklet full of label images and artist photos.

]]>http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/suffererdancing-down-orange-street-cd-releases/feed/0Lee Perry: The Trojan Album Collection (1971-1973)http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/lee-perry-the-trojan-album-collection-1971-1973/
http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/lee-perry-the-trojan-album-collection-1971-1973/#respondSun, 03 Sep 2017 15:15:27 +0000http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/?p=15860Out at the end of the month a double CD featuring four Upsetter LP’s originally issued between ’71 and ’73. Unimaginatively titled The Trojan Albums Collection this set features Africa’s Blood, Battle Axe, Rhythm Shower and Double Seven in their entirety, a total of 53 tracks.

Africa’s Blood, Battle Axe and Double Seven were all long players Scratch compiled for Trojan Records back in the day as part of his contract with them. Rhythm ... continue reading...

]]>Out at the end of the month a double CD featuring four Upsetter LP’s originally issued between ’71 and ’73. Unimaginatively titled The Trojan Albums Collection this set features Africa’s Blood, Battle Axe, Rhythm Shower and Double Seven in their entirety, a total of 53 tracks.

Africa’s Blood, Battle Axe and Double Seven were all long players Scratch compiled for Trojan Records back in the day as part of his contract with them. Rhythm Shower had Trojan stampers made up and apparently some blank label test pressings appeared but it never saw a full release in the UK and was only issued in limited quantities (using the Trojan stampers) in Jamaica.

Presented with a full colour sixteen page booklet with sleeve notes written by Laurence Cane-Honeysett and plenty of artist pictures and label illustrations this is a nicely put together set that gives the music the respect it so rightly deserves.

All four of these LP’s have all been reissued in various forms over the years but not all are readily available these days so if you don’t have them then now is your chance. Lee Perry: The Trojan Album Collection (1971-1973) is released on double CD by Trojan Records on the 29 September.

]]>http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/lee-perry-the-trojan-album-collection-1971-1973/feed/0Harry J Classics on Doctor Birdhttp://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/harry-j-classics-on-doctor-bird/
http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/harry-j-classics-on-doctor-bird/#respondThu, 03 Aug 2017 15:12:26 +0000http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/?p=15827Cherry Red Records have reactivated the Doctor Bird label to reissue music licensed from Trojan. Released on 11 August we have two classic LP’s of Harry J material on one CD: No More Heartaches and What Am I To Do. These LP’s were originally issued in 1969 and 1970 respectively and featured the very strongest of Harry J’s productions from 1968 and ’69 (apart from Liquidator of course).

]]>Cherry Red Records have reactivated the Doctor Bird label to reissue music licensed from Trojan. Released on 11 August we have two classic LP’s of Harry J material on one CD: No More Heartaches and What Am I To Do. These LP’s were originally issued in 1969 and 1970 respectively and featured the very strongest of Harry J’s productions from 1968 and ’69 (apart from Liquidator of course).

The majority of these tunes have been re-released multiple times over the years but it’s nice to have them presented as they were on those classic LP’s.

Also available on Doctor Bird from the 11 August is a CD featuring two Marcia Griffiths LP’s; Naturally and Stepping. Originally released in 1978 and 1979 respectively and produced by Sonia Pottinger.

]]>http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2017/harry-j-classics-on-doctor-bird/feed/0A box of Rocksteadyhttp://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2016/a-box-of-rocksteady/
http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/2016/a-box-of-rocksteady/#respondMon, 02 May 2016 09:26:00 +0000http://www.dancecrasher.co.uk/?p=15577As part of Record Store Day last month 17 North Parade (part of VP) released a seven disc box set of Rocksteady 7″s titled First Class Rocksteady. There are still copies available in some stores so keep a look out. The full track listing is as follows: The Return Of Ezekial – The Jupiters Dreader Than Dread – Honey Boy Martin Live And Love – Carlton Manning ABC Rocksteady – The Gaylads The Russians Are ... continue reading...]]>As part of Record Store Day last month 17 North Parade (part of VP) released a seven disc box set of Rocksteady 7″s titled First Class Rocksteady. There are still copies available in some stores so keep a look out. The full track listing is as follows:

There are really too many highlights here to talk about all of the tunes but the Carlton Manning is superb, it was his first release that predates his Carlton & His Shoes releases. The second piece to Last train To Expo 67, Last train To Ecstasy by The Melodians is always in demand and something of a legend. Finally Long Time Me No See You Girl by The Sensations was number two in the Dancecrasher top 100 Rocksteady tunes list and on many days it would probably make number one.

Carlton Manning – Live And Love

All the 7″s are on reproduction labels and the pack comes with seven vintage style Jamaican Postcards plus a download code so you can get the MP3’s of the tracks at no extra cost. The sound quality is generally great though the Carlton Manning tune is a bit muddy and the stereo mix of Sounds And Pressure is a little off putting.

Overall this is a lovely little box that does full justice the the wonderful music it contains, get a copy if you can.